Do you really need to visit shops on Boxing Day?

[kolpa]

Before you decide to go to half the stores which are open today, think - do you actually need anything? If not, stay away from them.

Those supermarkets that are open would have very few deliveries. Perhaps milk n bread as majority of these are delivered by the bakery and dairy. It depends on if they worked yesterday. As some distribution centres were closed yesterday.

I personally believe that people only shop because the shops are open. If some were open yesterday, they would have gone in.

A good number of the retail workers today are people who don’t have a car who usually bus it in. But no buses means either get someone to drive them in or get taxi/uber which are 1.5-2 times more expensive.

So if you can survive a day of visiting about half the stores which are open today, stay at home or go to others’ homes.

Nothing wrong with wanting fewer people to have to work over Christmas, whilst appreciating those who do such as in the NHS.

I pretend it's a proper bank holiday with shops closed like in my native country. 3)(well 2.5 since they can be open till lunch on Christmas eve) days of Christmas and chill. No way am I making my way to any shops today

I agree. I work in retail and next year I’m pretty sure we’ll be open on Boxing Day as it’s a Saturday and the start of mad sales.

That means I’ll not be there to celebrate with my whole family, like we are doing today.

I’m already thinking I’ll quit if I have to work it be year. I’m not a front line NHS worker, it’s a bloody shop.

There is a line in the sand for me, and that’s sacrificing family for someone’s shitty bargain.

My son asked for a pizza last night, I said we didn't have any. He said can't you pop to the co op. Uh, no, it's Christmas day, every where is shut. This was an alien concept to him 🙄. I think shops should be closed on Christmas day.

I worked in retail as a teen (and in hospitality) and loved working Boxing Day. Extra money!

I really hate these threads where people try and dictate what others do - if you don’t like your job, get a different one. I’ve worked a lot of Christmas and Boxing Days (on railways and it’s the only downtime you get), you just have to get on with it if it’s the nature of the job.

You probably meant well with your post but when shops are closed to customers, there are still many people working there. Eg night shift, deliveries to the shop…

Closing the shop to customers doesn’t mean the staff get a break. A shop closed to customers means more people shop online and who is going to prepare those click and collect or online orders?

By using MN today, you are forcing a moderator to work.

The British High Street needs customers. Sales are down since last year for economic reasons like the budget and without footfall, more shops will move to out of town retail parks because the rent is cheaper. The economy needs people to buy stuff even if it’s just the takeaway coffee while you wander round the shops.

A lot of people need to get away from spending forced time with their families and a lot of staff don’t celebrate Christmas. If any of them get enhanced overtime then good for them.

I feel more for hospitality workers. More alcohol consumption and bigger groups must make their tough work even harder 💐

Mark Goodier had to get up early to do the Radio 2 Breakfast Show today. Can people stop listening to the radio please?

I'm not planning to shop on Boxing Day, but if your concern is for retail workers who are inconvenienced because there's no bus service, wouldn't it make more sense to ask people to petition the bus companies to offer service, even if it's on a reduced holiday schedule? Scotland seems to manage this, just for example.

Exactly.

Most jobs have what is expected before you apply.

Many retail jobs literally say you need to be ok with working weekends, out of hours, and holidays especially during the Christmas season in the job description.

It is rarely a surprise or a shock and often expected if you plan to be around in the later months of the year.

Just been to Sainsburys local to buy milk. It was fairly busy, busier than usual, so they're going to do good trade today as the bigger supermarkets are closed.

Do I feel guilty I have been to a shop today? No way! Boxing day isn't so sacred that the world stops. It is just another day to a lot of people.

I actually agree.

We should all ask ourselves do I really need this? Can it wait?

The less footfall and sales the shops make the more they might consider whether it’s necessary to open on Boxing Day.

Retail staff have been busy since September. Wouldn’t it be great if they could have some proper time off? Even if some do need to go in to prep the sales?

Often retail staff are lower wages too. Relying on public transport to get them into work. Some services aren’t running or are very limited. I know people who have been picked up late Christmas Eve by family who were then expected to be in first thing Boxing Day. The only family they have is 90 mins away by car. It’s a huge amount of pressure on them and their aging relatives ( health condition enforces no driving for them).

Do we really need that milk or reduced priced Christmas stuff or can it wait?

Support the smaller shops or petrol stations that are open? Not the big chains who focus on profit above all else.

And I say all of that having worked Xmas and Boxing Day in a social care housing setting last year.

Some jobs can’t wait but surely retail can?

I think there's valid issue underneath this, about the way workers are exploited for profit, and the way capitalism erodes family life/wellbeing of workers. However, you're coming at it from the wrong end of things. If everyone boycotted shops on Boxing Day, the loss of profit would filter is way down to poorer conditions for workers and higher costs for consumers. Because the capitalism that drives shops to open will feed itself first.
I think a better approach would be to campaign for better rights for retail workers. So working unsociable shifts was appropriately rewarded, and there was choice whether to work them. Lots of people would choose to work, if for example, they got double time. That way, the customer gets the convenience and the staff are not exploited.

Don't we want people supporting local shops? Anyone who owns a high street store will be desperately hoping for business, and boxing day shopping is historically an important source of revenue for some. I'm sure you're well meaning but if things went your way it's only local shops and small business owners who would truly suffer.

Agree! I used to and refuse to set foot in a shop on Boxing Day on principle

Oh ffs, many people are forced to work wherever they can find a job. Nobody chooses to work at minimum wage and then to pay for a taxi to work. Retail staff that are working today couldn’t even kick back and relax properly yesterday, knowing that they had to be up again this morning.

Dont they deserve to be with their families!

I used to, but I’ve just seen people ignore an orderly queue for the Trafford centre online absolutely crazy selfish but it’s a service offered and surely Boxing Day work means time and a half/double time and/or a day in lieu to those who choose to.

I have just nipped to the supermarket, I needed some washing powder etc but I did pick up a few freezable bargains but there was no queue and it was a community store so local for staff.

I love boxing day. I've grown to prefer it to Christmas day actually, it still feels festive but so much more chilled. I'll be going nowhere today! I'll go shopping tomorrow.

I wasn't going to go shopping today but I am now purely off this thread.

Not everyone celebrates bloody Christmas might be glad of a day in work.

I’m just getting ready to go out. I was laid up for the week before Christmas with a chest infection. I’m going a bit crazy and we didn’t have stuff yesterday we would normally have as my husband has also been ill. This is the first day I’ve had any energy.

You do you. I’ll do me.

You do realise that a lot of people don’t celebrate Christmas and even those that do, a number of them want the excuse for leaving the family to it all day just to avoid family either as a shopper or a worker

The shops opening on Boxing Day is probably responsible for saving marriages and lives.

I won't be shopping.
I have never done boxing day sales but then i'm not someone who likes shopping at the best of times.

Don't need any food either so no need of a supermarket.

We do want to venture out so we are going for a good walk soon. Very lucky to live somewhere where we can literally walk from the front door as we are rural.

Each to their own though - if shops are open, people will use them.

I don't see why working Boxing Day would be an issue for most people? Surely you do all the visiting family on Christmas Day, then for a lot of people Boxing Day is just a nothing day of sitting around feeling a bit full and hung over. I've always considered it a win if I'm off Christmas Day and working Boxing Day, best of both worlds.

YANBU I don't work retail but was brought up to think about the retail workers by my mum who didn't either but was a considerate person. (and back then the shops were open shorter hours than now)

I would be really curious to know if the people on here voting YABU are the same people who were shouting down people who don't tip on the recent service charge thread..

Both low paid thankless roles but with one you get to lord it over the little people by giving them some of your spare pennies - and how dare you go out to eat if you can't afford to do this, you should stay home don't ya know?! But the shop workers should just suck it up apparently 'because they'd be there anyway' yeah cus cause and effect Isn't a thing and no business looks at last years figures to determine opening hours 🙄

People can’t win!
It’s either judgements about the trolleys piled high and ‘it’s just one day’ etc etc or it’s complaining that people only buy enough food for one day and then need to go and get more food for the next day.

i don’t think I’ll be visiting a shop today but that’s because we ordered a fuck tonne of food to hopefully mean we won’t need to, we all have plans to do various things today and I don’t want to go shopping.